Marl-digging machine



A. J. ELKINS MARL DIGGING MACHINE July 31, 1928. 1,679,118

Filed Jilly 26. I926 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l //7 yanfor July 31, 1928.

A. J. ELKINS MARL DIGGING MACHINE .2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 26, 1926Patented July 31, 1928.

- um'rao A STA-res" ALBERT .1. ELKINS, OFCORAL, MiCHiGAN.

"MARL-DIGGING 111110111111 1;

' Application med m ae,

tion to provide a means for digging and removing the marl in a quickandexpeditious manner, and provide a digging? device which is capable ofremoving the marl irrespective of its condition as to hardness, thedevice which I have invented being particularly capable in connectionwith marl in its softer state, in 'many. instances of which it is ofalmost if not quite liquid consistency. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a digging device of thecharacter stated, which may be drawn to a desired place over the marlbed, and may then-be drawn in the reverse direction, the machine workingautomatically'to remove a portion of the marl, the depthremovedbeing'gdv erned by a certain: adjustment of themachine, and whenthem-achine'has 'been' dra'wn from the bed and elevatedto a certainheight p p 7, the front end beingflopen. The pivot bolts I toautomatically trip the same to dump the marl which has been removed, 301111 1. the digging machine may be empty for itssucceeding load. On itsreturn, it is mammal; cally latched and a device which adjusts andgoverns the depth that the digging appa ratus shall enter into the marlbed is turned automatically to operative position 'so that' with themachine, it is merely necessary'to pull it in one direction toajdesiredposition on the marl bed and then drawit in the opposite directionuntil'it is automatical 1y tripped and dumped, whereupon the cycle ofoperation may be repeated fora "succeed ing load.

and the construction'which I have made to embody the same, reference maybehad to the following description taken;in"connection with theaccompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is an'elevation'showingtliefimarlf digging apparatus installed for operation and with thedigging device in position andindicated as moving in a direction toremove 'a load from the marl bed. I,

Fig. Qis a fragmentary elevation similar to that shown in Fig; 1,illustrating; the position of the digging device as it is being drawnbackward over the marl bed.

It" is For an understanding of the invention 1928i Serial Nb. 125,049.

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the way that the dlgging scoop is dumped;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertil cal section through thedigging apparatus which forms the main essential part of my invention. iFig. 5 is a plan view thereof, and

Fig: Gis a transverse vertical section through the'apparatus shown inFigs. 4 and 5, the section being taken in front of the latching deviceand looking to the rear.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in different figures ofthe drawings.

In the constructionof the digging device itself, an upper frame is madehaving spaced apart sides 1, preferably formed of flat barsof metal, thesame being connected at their rear ends by an inverted U-shaped stirrupwhich has an upper horizontal side 2 and depending legs 3. A pivot bolt4 extends through the lower end of each leg '3 and through the verticalsides 5 of a digging scoop which is of sheet metal and is comleted by abottom6 and a rear vertical-end 4 pass through the sides 5 near theirupper ,rear corners as best shown in Fig. 4:. Across the frontend of thedigging scoop, a fiat bar 8 is passed having "depending legs 9 which liealongside of the sides 5 of' the scoop and are permanently securedthereto by rivets. A'rod'l0 extends upwardly from the bottom of thescoop and through the bar 8, receiving-{a nut at" its upper end, thisbeing for the purpose of strengthening and reinforcing the bottom of thescoop at its open front en'd'when the same is loaded and held by a inloaded condition as will hereafter appear. At the upper side ofbar 2,two

spaced apart flat vertical posts 10 arepermanentlysecured substantiallymidway between the ends of said bar 2 between which,

near their upper ends, a pulley 'll is rotatably mounted. Below thepulley a plate 12 of'metal is located-and permanently'secured to one ofthe posts 11 and to which one of-the cables used to move the apparatusback and forth is to be attached r The front ends of' the side bars 1are connectedby a front cross bar 13 from which,

at its upperside and near its middle, two

vertical posts 14: of flat bar metal projectibetween which a pulley 15is held and rotatably mounted, said'pulley being'in substanupper ends tothe frame bars 1.

tially the same horizontal plane with the pulley. 11 previouslydescribed. In addition, below the pulley 15, a plate 16 is permanent--ly secured to the posts 14 to which the other of the cables for movingthe device back and forth is to be secured.

A horizontal flat bar 17 lies between one of the posts 10 and one of theposts let, and is secured at the ends to these posts. A latch bar 18 ispivotally mounted between its ends, at 19, on the bar 17 and at itslower end formed with a latching hook 20 to engage with the cross bar 8above and at the front end of the digging scoop, being normally movedinto engaging position by a tension spring 21 disposed between the upperend of latch bar 18 and the bar 17 on which it is mounted. This springtends to turn the latch bar in a clockwise direction until stopped by astop 22 shown in Fig. 1 as permanently attached tobar 17. A link 23 ispivotally connected at its rear end to the upper end of the latch bar 18and extends horizontally forward between the vertical posts 14, and atits front end is equipped with a depending U-shaped stirrup 24 betweenthe sides of which a. pulley 25 is mounted, said pulley 25 lying inhorizontal alignment with the pulleysll and 15 which were earlierdescribed. 7

At a point a distance in front of the open end of the digging scoop, twofiat bars 26 are located one adjacent each of the sides 1 of the frame,each of which is formed with a plurality of openings 27 through it,through which pivot pins or bolts 28 may pass so as to adjustably pivotthe bars 26 on the frame bars 1. Between the lower end portions of thebars 28, a cross board or plate 29 is located and secured. Two chains 30are connected at their lower ends, respectively, to the lower ends ofthe bars 26 and attheir The bars 26 are formed of two sections lying atan angle to each other and the openings and holes 27 through them passaround the angle made by said two sections. It is evident that the crossboard 29 may be adjusted to several positions with respect to the frontopen end of the digging scoop, and when the chains 30 are straightenedout, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, such cross board will serve toguide the front end of the scoop over the marl bed and permit it to digthe-reinto only a prescribed and limited distance. In fact whatever theconsistency the marl may be, no matter how soft, the digging scoopcannot sink and submerge itself therein, as its front edge is heldagainst digging into the bed any farther than it is permitted to enterby the cross board 29 which rides over the upper surface of the bed.

The digging device which has been de scribed is installed in connectionwith the bed which is to be dug, two vertical posts snubbed around ananchor post 39.

31 and 32 being fixed at their lower ends in the earth at each side ofthe bend, the former of which is considerably higher than the latter. Acable 33 is attached to the plate 12 and extends to and around a pulley34 car ried at the upper end of the shorter post 32 and thence extendssubstantially horizontally forward to and beyond the post 31. It isclear that on drawing on the cable 33 by any suitable source of power,the digging apparatus and its scoop may be drawn towards the post 32.Thismovement is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which case the digging scoopwill ride over the bed and the device pivotally mounted at the front endof the digging scoop consisting of the bars 26 and the cross bars 29,will be automatically moved in a counter clockwise direction away fromthe open front end of the scoop.

Asecond cable 35 is fixed at one end to the plate 16 and extendsupwardly and forwardly over a pulley 36 mounted near the upper end ofthe higher post 31, cable 35 extending therefrom downwardly andforwardly. A pull on this cable moves the digging scoop and the frame onwhich it is mounted in the direction indicated in Fig. 1, whereupon theopen end of the scoop tends to enter the bed and fill it with thematerial thereof but is held from entering too far and submerging'itself by reason of the depth gauge apparatus previously describedcomprising the bars 26, cross board 29 and the chains 30. As soon as thedigging apparatus starts to move in the direction of the arrow indicatedin Fig. 1, this depth gauge member swings from the position shown inFig. 2 or as far as the chains 30 will permit it to go, and thusautomatically gauges the depth that the digging scoop may enter into thebed.

The digging apparatus is mounted on a trolley cable 37 which passesunderneath the pulleys 11, 15, and 25. The trolley cable is secured atone end to the post 32 and at its other end portion passes over a pulley38- located above a pulley 36 on the post 31, and is then carrieddownwardly to g llid 1e trolley cable 37 as is evident, may be slackened or tightened to a greater or less degree so as to change theposition at which the scoop engages the bed from which it is to removematerial.

011 the trolley cable 37 a trip block 40 is adjustably secured, beingshown in Fig. 1 as located a short distance from the pulley 38. hen, asshown in Fig. 1, the digging apparatus has been drawn backwardly to adesired position, and isthen moved in a forward direction so as to fillor partially fill the scoop, on its continued forward move 'ment thedigging apparatus moves upwardly block 40. When this occursthe link 23is moved rearwardly with respect to the frame turning the latch bar 18and disengaging the latch 20 from the cross bar'8. When this occurs thefront open end of the scoop is free from the latch and it turns 1 bygravity to the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby automatically dumpingthe load which the scoop has gathered. ,Then by slacking off on thecable 35 and drawing on the cable 33 the digging apparatus may be;returned to its lower position; and as soon as the scoop strikes againstthe ground or anything else with suflicient resistance it is.automatically turned about the pivot bolts 4 and connected with thelatch 20 which is free to return to latching position as soon as thestirrup 24@ moves away from the trip block 40.

This apparatus is very practical and efficient and has proved itsutility in extensive practical-use. While I have referred specificallyto the digging of marl as being one place where the invention is ofgreat use, 1t is to be understood that the apparatus is available fordigging and carrying or for carrying alone a great variety of materialsother than marl, being especially useful for reaching places which areinaccessible for trucks, wagons, or other vehicles in which material iscarried. My invention accordingly is not to be limited to use in the oneplace specifically described.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of structures coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. Digging apparatus of the character described comprising, a horizontalsupporting frame, means for suspending and mounting said frame formovement back and forth on a trolley, a digging scoop located below theframe at the rear portion thereof and pivotally mounted at its rearupper corners on the frame, a vertically disposed latch bar pivotallymounted on said frame adjacent the front open end of the scoop withwhich the latch bar engages at its lower end to hold the scoop in ahorizontal position, spring means acting on the latch bar to normallyengage said bar with the scoop, a link connected to the upper end of thelatch bar and extending horizontally in a forward direction, means atthe front end of the link adapted to traverse said trolley whereby Iwhen the apparatus is moved along said trolley to a predetermined pointsaid means may engage a trip secured on said trolley to thereby unlatchthe scoop.

2. A construction containing the elements in combination defined inclaim 1, combined with bars pivotally mounted on the frame at the frontof the scoop, a cross board con necting the lower ends of said bars, anda chain connected at one end of the frame and at the opposite endto thelower end of one of said bars whereby in its rearward posit on thefloweredge of'said cross board lies a short distance above the lower end ofthe scoop. v

3. A construction containing the elements in combination delinedin claim1, combined with two, bars pivoted one to each side of the. frame, adistance in front of the scoop, each of said bars having a plurality ofopen ings in the length thereby whereby the same may. be pivoted atdifferent points on said frame, a cross board connecting the lower ends.of the bars, and flexible means COD? nected to the frame and to saidbarsvfor limiting the rearward position of said Cross board. v

4:. In a construction of the class described, twospaced apart framebars, an inverted U-shaped member disposed between andcon; nected. tothe rear ends. of said frame bars, a digging scoop having verticalsides, a horizontal bottom and a vertical rear. end; located between thedepending legs of said U-shaped member, pivot bolts passing through saidlegs and thesides of scoop adjacent the rear upper corners of saidsides, a bar located transversely above and secured to the scoop at itsfront open end, a cross bar disposed between and connecting the frontends of the frame side bars, a pair of vertical posts connecting to andextending upwardly from said cross bar, a second pair of posts extendingupwardly from said U- shaped member, pulleys under which a trolley cablemay pass mounted between each of said pairs of posts, a horizontal bar10- cated between and connected to one post of each of said pairs, avertical latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends on said horizontalbar and formed at its lower end with a hook to engage with thetransverse latch bar above its pivot, a link pivotally connected at itsrear end to the upper end of the latch bar and extending horizontallyforward between the front pair of vertical posts, a stirrup dependingfrom the front of said link, a pulley mounted between the sides of thestirrup under which the trolley may pass, and means whereby cables maybe secured one at each end of the frame.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined inclaim 4, combined with two bars one pivotally connected to each of theside bars of the frame and having lower depending portions, a crossboard disposed between and connected to said depending portions, and"two chains connected at one end to the side bars of the frame and attheir opposite ends to the lower ends of 1ghe depending portions of thelast mentioned ars.

6. In combination, spaced apart posts one higher than the other,atrolley cable fastened at one end to the lower post, a pulley attachedto the upper end of the higher post over which the trolley cable passes,an anchor post around which the end of the trolley cable is adjustablyfastened, a digging device including a frame and a digging scooppivotally mounted at one end on said frame, said digging device beingmounted on said trolley cable, means for moving the digging device inopposite directions on said trolley cable, latching means on saiddigging device automatically connecting with the scoop to hold itparallel to the frame on move ment of said digging device toward theshorter post, a trip block on the trolley cable near said higher post,means connected with the latching means adapted to engage said tripblock and move the latching means from engagement with the scoop fordumping its contents when the digging device is moved towards saidhigher post, a depth gauge pivotally mounted on the same in front of thefront end of the scoop, said depth gauge moving towards the front end ofthe scoop when the digging device is drawn towards the higher post, saiddepth gauge extending transversely across the front end of the scoop soas to ride on the upper surface of the ma terial to be dug, and meansfor limiting the movement of said depth gauge towards the front end ofthe scoop.

7. Digging apparatus of the character described comprising a trolley, adigging scoop having an open forward end and pivotally suspended on thetrolley at its rear end, detachable means for suspending the front endof the scoop from the trolley and a depth gauge mounted on said trolleyand comprising a bar extending across and in front of the open end ofthe scoop above the bottom thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALBERT J. ELKINS

